London - how safe is it for tourists?

[laurawaterford]

With all the terrible news about stabbings in london just recently my children are wondering where I'm bringing them. Of course I know we will be fine. It's probably like any city with good and bad places. Do Londoners agree - any tips please about where to avoid would be really appreciated. And I'm sorry if Iv'e put anyone's backs up after all the great tips Iv'e received on my London challenge thread

avoid south london and you'll be fine

TBH being a tourist is rather different from being part of a gang on an estate at war with other gangs.

kbear of SE London

london is perfectly fine, yes even south london, dont join any street gang while you are here, avoid hanging about in alleyways after dark and you should make it out alive.

Yes London is safe IMO, come and enoy our wonderful city!

I disagree
I think it is a terrible place, you will almost certainly get mugged and a high possibility of a stabbing or worse. I would stay at home tbh

We were there a few weeks ago, touristy bits are fine. But then again we're well 'ard.

I would say that the areas you will go to as a tourist you will be perfectly safe..
there are areas in london as with any city of this size across the world that you shouldn't go to but they aren't on the tourist route

my dp had him bum felt in hamleys, watch out for that

just don't act too touristy

perfectly safe to do all that stuff

I feel men's bums in hamleys sometimes
I wonder if it was me?

Nobody felt my bum and it's nice

Your bum is nice?
Or not having it felt?

I dont live in London, used to stay in Croydon a few years back, there were quite a few stabbings and muggings. I dont know which areas are good/bad. I guess its the same as any major city - safer places and not so safe places. You just make sure you dont put yourself in any unecessary danger - unlit streets, visable valuables etc.

just dont talk to strangers

it was a big man with a beard countess, does that sound like you?

Well, both.

yep
I do get mistaken for Gerry Adams sometimes

of the adams family?

which part of Hamleys and will I have to wait around there for very long do you think?

tut, dp also had him bum felt on the tube, so avoid packed carriages

London is pretty much completely safe for tourists, stabbing-wise, at least. You may get your pocket picked by a cheeky cockernee ruffian with a soot-stained face and a large pocket watch hanging off his weskit, but otherwise you'll be fine.

Gangs tend to avoid Madame Tussauds, as a rule.

Oh fer gawd's sake, it's not Jo'burg!!!

Behave exactly as you would in your home town: don't flash cash or valuables, keep an eye on your belongings, don't go to scuzzy areas you're not familiar with (especially after dark). It's just common sense.

Where are you staying?

(For the record, I live in an area - Islington - where there have been stabbings, but if you lived in fear all the time you'd never go anywhere.)

iactualkly saw a pearly king man in horse guardss parade last sunday..